One day after a solid performance against the Cleveland Indians, Major League Baseball announces it has suspended Michael Pineda for 60 games following a positive test for a banned substance.According to Pineda's statement, the pitcher had taken Hydrochlorothiazide, a banned diurectic under MLB's testing program.

Pineda says he took the medication that was given to him by a "close acquaintance, who obtained it over-the-counter". He went on to say he ingested several of those pills without the consent of the Minnesota Twins' medical staff.

Statement from the Twins regarding the suspension:

“We were disappointed to learn of the suspension of Michael Pineda for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. We fully support Major League Baseball’s policy and its efforts to eliminate banned substances from our game. Per the protocol outlined in the Joint Drug Program, the Minnesota Twins will not comment further on this matter.”

According to Ken Rosenthal, the league's arbitrator decided to reduce Pineda's suspension from 80-games to 60 after an appeals process. Nevertheless, the Twins' pitcher remains ineligible for the postseason, a crushing development to what had become one of the team's best arms in the second-half of the season.

In nine starts since the All Star break, Pineda was 5-1 with a 3.04 ERA while striking out 56 and walking just 12 in 53.1 innings.

What horrible news!! Pineda had been doing great! It’s so frustrating that these athletes can’t manage to keep track of what they’re putting in their bodies to avoid issues like this. Without Pineda im their playoff rotation the Twins have no chance to advance beyond the ALDS. And with this loss they might not even win the division. Any optimism I had for the playoffs is now gone with Berríos looking terrible, Gibson hurt, and now Pineda gone.

"Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic and masking agent prohibited under Section S5 of the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) Prohibited List. ... Diuretics can mask other prohibited substances by increasing urine volume, thereby diluting the presence of any other substances present in a urine sample."

Pineda says he took the medication that was given to him by a "close acquaintance, who obtained it over-the-counter". He went on to say he ingested several of those pills without the consent of the Minnesota Twins' medical staff.

¡Que menso!! That’s just so dumb. I don’t get why these professional athletes can’t seem to understand that they need to clear things with the team.